Chapter 8: Vocation

WORKING WITH THE POEM

Question 1.Your partner and you may now be able to answer these questions.

1. Who is the speaker in the poem? Who are the people the speaker meets?What are they doing?

   Answer:The speaker in this poem is a school-going child. Every day he happens to meet the hawker selling bangles, the gardener digging away at the garden, and the watchman walking the street all night.

2. What wishes does the child in the poem make? Why does the child want to be a hawker, a gardener, or a watchman? Pick out the lines in each stanza which tell us this.

   Answer:The little child is innocent. He watches the people keenly around him. He is sick of checks on his movement. He wants to enjoy the same freedom as do the hawker, the gardener, and the watchman. They do what they like. The child says:

   1. I wish I were a hawker, spending my day in the road.
   2. I wish I were a gardener, digging away at the garden.
   3. I wish I were a watchman walking the street all night.

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3. From the way the child envies the hawker, the gardener and the watchman, we can guess that there are many things the child has to do, or must not do. Make a list of the do’s and don’ts that the child doesn’t like. The first line is done for you.
   The child must
   get his clothes dirty in the dust.
   ………………….
   ………………….
   The child must not
   come home at a fixed time.
   ……………………….
   ……………………….
   Now add to the list your own complaints about the things you have to do, or must not do.

   Answer:

   DO’s	Donʼts
   Obey his elders.	Be late for school.
   Do his homework regularly.	Eat junk food.
   Be truthful and honest.	Be rude or ill-mannered.

4. Like the child in the poem, you perhaps have your own, wishes for yourself. Talk to your friend, using “I wish I were…”

   Answer:For self-attempt

Question 2.Find out the different kinds of work done by the people in your neighbourhood. Make different cards for different kinds of work. You can make the card colourful with pictures of the persons doing the work.

Answer:Do yourself.